POIGNEE INCLINABLE EN POLYPROPYLENE EQUIPEE DE MOYENS DE VERROUILLAGE

POLYPROPYLENE RECLINER HANDLE WITH LOCKING MEANS

Abrégé français

L'invention porte sur un ensemble actionneur détachable destiné à une chaise inclinable dotée d'une poignée, d'une tige de commande et d'une attache filetée. La poignée est configurée de manière à être reliée opérationnellement à la tige de commande sans nécessiter l'utilisation d'un insert métallique ou d'un renforcement métallique. L'attache filetée est insérée dans un contre-alésage formé dans la poignée de manière que la tige traverse librement la poignée et vienne en prise par filetage avec la tige de commande. La tige s'étend à travers la tige de commande de manière à venir en prise avec la poignée. L'ensemble actionneur est configuré de manière que l'attache s'use avant la poignée en plastique, plus précisément, de manière que l'attache se rompe entre la tête d'attache et la tige de commande, ce qui permet un retrait facile de l'attache rompue sans avoir à démonter la tige de commande de la chaise inclinable.

Abrégé anglais

A detachable operator assembly for a recliner chair including a handle, a
drive rod and a threaded fastener. The handle is configured to operably
connect with the drive rod without requiring a metal insert or reinforcement.
The threaded fastener is inserted into a counterbore formed in the handle such
that the shank freely passes through the handle and threadingly engages the
drive rod. The shank extends through the drive rod to threadingly engage the
handle. The operator assembly is configured so that the fastener fails before
the plastic handle fails, and more specifically, so the the fastener breaks
between the fastener head and the drive rod, thereby allowing easy removal of
the broken fastener without disassembly of the drive rod from the reclining
chair.

Revendications

CLAIMS:
1. An operator assembly for use in a reclining chair, the operator assembly
comprising:
a drive rod having a rod end with a flat surface and an aperture formed
through said rod end and said flat surface;
a handle having a cavity formed in a side thereof to receive said rod end
and a stepped bore formed in a handle end perpendicular to and through said
cavity;
a slot extending from said cavity in said handle, said slot and said stepped
bore having a common axis;
a fastener having a head and a shank, said shank having an unthreaded
shoulder portion and a threaded portion with a cheek created between said
shoulder portion and said threaded portion, said fastener inserted into said
handle
end such that said shank is positioned freely through said stepped bore and
said
threaded portion is threadingly received in said aperture to threadingly
engage
said drive rod, said fastener further threadingly engages with said slot; and
said stepped bore defining a clearance hole terminating at a flange
operating as a stopping point for said cheek of the fastener;
wherein a portion of said handle is directly clamped between said head and
said flat surface of said drive rod.
2. The operator assembly of claim 1 further comprising a counterbore portion
of said stepped bore, wherein when said threaded portion threadingly engages
said drive rod, a portion of said handle is directly clamped between said
shoulder
portion and said flat surface of said drive rod defining a failure mode point
for
breaking said fastener located between said counterbore and said cavity, such
that said fastener will break before said handle will break.
3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said slot has a width which is less than a
threaded portion diameter of said shank to create a thread lock, and said slot
is
created through a plastic material of the handle adapted to receive said
threaded
portion.
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4. The operator assembly of claim 1 wherein said handle comprises
polypropylene.
5. The operator assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cavity
comprises a square-shaped cavity.
6. The operator assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein a sidewall of said
square-shaped cavity adjacent said bore is outwardly bowed at a midpoint
thereof.
7. The operator assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fastener is self-
tapping.
8. An operator assembly for use in a reclining chair, the operator assembly
comprising:
a square drive rod having a rod end with a flat surface and a threaded
aperture formed completely through the rod end and the flat surface;
a fastener having a head and a shank, the shank including a shoulder
portion having a shoulder diameter smaller than a head diameter, a threaded
portion extending from the shoulder portion opposite the head, and a flange
defining a cheek between the shoulder portion and the threaded portion;
a handle having a square cavity adapted to slidingly receive the rod end,
and a stepped bore created perpendicular to and into the cavity adapted to be
aligned with the threaded aperture of the drive rod, the stepped bore
including:
a first diameter adapted to slidingly receive the head; and
a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the second
diameter adapted to slidingly receive the shank, the second diameter defining
a
clearance hole terminating at a flange defined by the second diameter, the
flange
operating as a stopping point for the cheek of the fastener;
the handle further including a slot extending from the cavity coaxial with
and opposite to the bore;
the head of the fastener received in the first diameter when the shoulder
portion is received in the second diameter and the cheek is in contact with
the
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flange, the threaded portion of the fastener being threadingly engaged with
the
threaded aperture and the threaded portion extending through the threaded
aperture to further threadingly engage the slot.
9. The handle assembly of claim 8 further comprising:
a hub portion of said handle, said handle extending from said hub portion at
a first axis; and
the stepped bore defining a second axis with respect to the first axis;
wherein said first axis is angularly offset with respect to said second axis
by
an angle in the range of about 10°C to about 45°C.
10. The operator assembly of claim 8 wherein said slot has a width less than a
diameter of said shank of said threaded portion.
11. The operator assembly of claim 8 wherein said threaded fastener
comprises a self-tapping fastener having a lead-in portion of said threaded
portion, said lead-in portion extending into said slot.
12. The operator assembly of claim 8 wherein said handle consists essentially
of a polypropylene handle.
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Description

CA 02589216 2007-05-25
WO 2006/081050 PCT/US2006/000387
POLYPROPYLENE RECLINER HANDLE WITH LOCKING MEANS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a handle for attaching to a
rotatable drive rod, and more specifically to a handle located on the exterior
of a
recliner-type chair and secured to a rotatable drive rod to operate various
features and mechanisms of the recliner chair.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Recliner chairs come in a variety of shapes and sizes. For
example, some chairs have a rocking mechanism, some chairs have extendible
footrests, while other chairs have seats and seat backs that move from a
normal
upright position to a reclined position. While a given recliner chair can
possess
these features in various combinations, most recliner chairs commonly share
the
need to provide a handle or manual operator by which the user can select and
control various chair positions and mechanisms. The recliner handle, because
it
must be easily accessible by the user, is typically located along the lower
lateral
portion of the chair below the armrest.
[0003] Prior known handles typically have a metal insert that is molded
within the handle so that only the collar portion and set screw bore of the
insert
are accessible. The handle is attached to the drive rod by inserting the
protruding end of the drive rod into a complimentary shaped bore within the
insert, and a set screw is tightened against a corner of the square drive rod
to
secure the handle to the chair.
[0004] One drawback of prior known handles is the increased
manufacturing costs associated with molding a metal insert within the recliner
handle. Another drawback of prior know handles is the set screw that is used
to
retain the drive rod. Specifically, the set screw does not provide an adequate
locking means to prevent the drive rod from loosening when seated in a bore,
nor does the set screw prevent the drive rod from rotating within the bore. It
is
therefore desirable to provide a recliner handle without a metal insert molded
within the handle in order to reduce manufacturing costs while maintaining
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durability to sustain extended periods of use without breaking, bending,
loosening, or rotating.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention provides an operator assembly including
a handle without a metal insert molded within the handle in order to reduce
manufacturing costs, while maintaining durability to sustain extended periods
of
use without breaking, bending, loosening, or rotating. The present invention
provides an operator assembly for engaging a drive rod of a recliner chair
wherein the drive rod is rotated to operate a mechanism associated with the
recliner chair such as a retractable footrest mechanism or the like. The
operator
assembly includes a handle having a body with a first end and a second end
allowing for easy grasping, a drive rod, and a threaded fastener insertable
into
the drive rod. The handle is operable to receive the rotatable drive rod which
is
interconnected to a linkage mechanism. The first end of the handle includes a
counterbore having a clearance hole. The clearance hole is adapted to receive
a threaded fastener. The first end further includes a cavity configured to
receive
the drive rod, and a slot extending from the square-shaped cavity opposite the
counterbore. The threaded fastener having a lead-in is insertable into
clearance
hole and extends through a threaded bore of the drive rod and engages with the
slot.
[0006] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should
be
understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while
indicating
the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of
illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred operator assembly
of the present invention.
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CA 02589216 2009-07-09
[0009] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the first end of the handle of
the assembly shown in FIG. I showing the drive rod received by the square
shaped cavity of the handle coupled together by a threaded fastener.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0010] The following description of the preferred embodiment is merely
exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its
application, or uses.
[0011] The preferred embodiment of the present invention is directed
toward an operator assembly 10 of a recliner-type chairs. These recliner-type
chairs typically have mechanisms for, among other things, extending and
retracting a footrest, reclining and retuming the seat back to an upright
position,
and/or operating various lock out mechanisms which may permit or prevent the
chair body from traveling along a track toward a tilted position, or permit or
prevent the chair body from rocking. Many recliner chairs with such mechanisms
include a drive rod 20 to which a mechanism actuation handle 12 is attached.
By sitting in the chair and rotating the handle 12 clockwise or
counterclockwise,
the user can operate one or more of the chair mechanisms. An example of a
recliner chair incorporating various of such mechanisms and an associated
drive
rod is set forth in U.S. Patent No. 5,301,413 issued on April 12, 1994,
entitled
"Modular Reclining Chair and Method, and owned by the assignee of the
present invention. Another example of such a recliner chair is set forth in
U.S.
Patent No. 5,271,660 issued on December 21, 1993, entitled "Reclining Sofa,"
and owned by the assignee of the present invention. Due to the well-
known nature of such types of recliner chairs and/or sofas the associated
mechanisms and drive rod will not be described in detail herein except to
the extent necessary to provide an understanding of the present invention.
[0012] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the operator assembly 10 of the
present invention is adapted to control various features and mechanisms of a
recliner chair. The operator assembly 10 includes a handle 12 with a hub 16
and
a grip 18 extending from hub 16 allowing for easy grasping, a drive rod 20,
and a
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threaded fastener 22 insertable into the drive rod 20. Handle 12 is operable
to
receive rotatable drive rod 20 which is operably interconnected to a linkage
mechanism. As presently preferred, the drive rod 20 is generally square in
cross-section defining a flat surface with an aperture or bore 24 at the end
of the
drive rod 20. The hub 16 of handle 12 includes a counterbore 26 having a
clearance hole 28. The clearance hole 28 is adapted to receive threaded
fastener 22. The face of the hub 16 further includes a square shaped cavity 30
configured to receive drive rod 20, and a slot 32 extending from square-shaped
cavity 30.
[0013] In its preferred form, threaded fastener 22 includes a shoulder
portion 22a on the shank and clearance hole 28 is a stepped bore for receiving
having a first diameter sized to receive the fastener head and a second
diameter
sized to receive the shoulder portion. The clearance hole 28 terminates at a
flange 28a which engages the cheek of the shoulder portion 22a to provide a
definite stopping point for tightening the threaded fastener 22. Threaded
fastener 22 also includes a lead-in portion 22b which is received into
clearance
hole 28, extends through threaded bore 24 of drive rod 20 and engages with
slot 32. In this preferred configuration, the shoulder portion 22a in
conjunction
with the stepped bore helps to prevent distortion of the plastic handle during
installation.
[0014] The handle 12 is preferably made of polypropylene which
provides a flexible plastic material that withstands breaking and cracking
when
large loads are applied to the handle 12. This is advantageous as it prevents
the
handle 12 from breaking or cracking before the threaded fastener 12. Stated
another way, the failure mode of the assembly 10 is such that the fastener 22
will
break at a point between the counterbore 26 and the square-shaped cavity 30,
rather than the handle 12 breaking.
[0015] The advantages of the present invention can be better
appreciated by referring to FIG. 2. The hub 16 of handle 12 includes square-
shaped cavity 30. An axis "y" defined by counterbore 26 clearance hole 28,
square-shaped cavity 30 and slot 32 is angled slightly by an offset angle
relative
to a longitudinal axis "x" of the handle 12. As presently preferred, the angle
is
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generally 25 degrees. The square-shaped cavity 30 is adapted to receive drive
rod 20. The sides 34 of the square-shaped cavity 30 are outwardly bowed at the
midpoints of the square. This is advantageous as it allows the drive rod 20 to
locate within the corners of the square-shaped cavity 30 and seat securely in
the
handle 12 without rotating from side to side. Thus, a positive coupling is
achieved between the handle 12 and the drive rod 20. Counterbore 26 having a
depth "Dl" and a diameter "D2" is perpendicular to the square-shaped cavity
30.
Clearance hole 28 having a diameter of "D3" is concentric with counterbore 26.
The counterbore 26 allows the head of the threaded fastener 22 to be hidden
within handle 12 and minimizes the length of the threaded fastener 22 needed.
The clearance hole 28 allows threaded fastener 22 to be inserted through the
handle 12 and self-tap into the drive rod 20. This is advantageous because
when the threaded fastener 22 self-taps through the drive rod 20 the handle 12
is pulled up against the adjacent face of the drive rod 20. In this manner, a
portion of the handle 12 is directly clamped between the head of fastener 22
and
the flat surface of the drive rod 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the drive rod 20 and
handle 12 are interconnected by inserting threaded fastener 22 into clearance
hole 28 and mating threaded fastener 22 with bore 24 of drive rod 12. After
threading through the bore 24 of drive rod 20, threaded fastener 22 extends
into
slot 32 of handle 12. Slot 32 having an opening in width "w" smaller than a
diameter "D4" of threaded fastener 22 allows slot 32 to act as a thread lock
to
prevent unwanted loosening of the fastener 22. In addition, this configuration
gives the assembly 10 more rigidity to prevent deformation of the plastic by
the
metal when rotating the handle 12.
[0016] In the preferred embodiment, it is desirable to have a threaded
fastener 22 that will break off at the head side 38 before it breaks off at
the lead-
in side 40 of the fastener 22. Specifically, the fastener will fail at the
interface
between the drive rod 20 and handle 12 in the square cavity 30. In this way,
the
threaded fastener 22 may be easily removed with pliers without having to
remove the drive rod from the chair. Thus, an important aspect of the present
invention is the relationship between the fastener length, fastener diameter,
and
the diameter of the slot 32 of handle 12. The length of threaded fastener 22

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extending from drive rod 20, the diameter of the threaded slot 32 in handle
12,
and the major and minor diameter of the threaded fastener 22 are used to
provide this desired failure mode. With reference to FIG. 1, threaded fastener
22
preferably is an M7 x 30mm fastener, as the M7 x 30m fastener matches the
desired length to diameter ratio.
[0017] The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature
and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are
intended
to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be
regarded
as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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